A 32-year-old female presented with a left-sided neck swelling that developed over four months. She reported accompanying intermittent left-sided jaw pain radiating to the auricle and a throbbing headache, but denied any systemic symptoms such as fever or weight loss.
On examination, a single, well-defined, non-tender oval mass was noted in the upper neck, measuring 4 × 2 cm. Imaging, including ultrasound and computed tomography (CT) scans, confirmed a cystic mass compressing the internal jugular vein and adjacent carotid arteries, with notable pressure on the great auricular nerve (GAN), which supplies sensation to the skin over the ear and neck.
The patient was referred to the neurotology and ear, nose, and throat (ENT) department. She underwent surgical excision of the branchial cyst. Her post-operative course was uneventful, with complete resolution of her neurological symptoms upon follow-up.